Hey new 88MM 2.0 here

[shield88mm]

Just got this truck to use as a work truck. I love this little thing. Having a problem smoking and wont pass smog though. Going to replace piston rings and gaskets etc. anything else come to mind?

[netstat]

Mine smokes, but I'm pretty sure my issue is the valve guide seals.

[MightyG54BTMax]

yeah, i would go with valve seals over rings. Check your compression and if its not close to what it should be, put some oil in the spark plug hole and check it again. If it gets better its rings.

[shield88mm]

Well, I replaced both. Took off oil pan, took off head replaced all gaskets/seals on up. WHen I started it up it sounded like a diesel. So I took off the valve cover and they lifters were about to jump off the cam shaft. I torqued the bolts to spec before hand, but I guess you need to triple check.

Second issue, Now I have coolant leaking into the cylinder being expelled through exhaust. Do you need to resurface the head even if the head gasket was never blown?

And a pointer for anyone else who is doing head work. be sure to mark the distributor shaft, rotor position before and right after removal. If you don't there is a way to align the distributor, but it's just easier marking it (caused me a couple hour headache).

[netstat]

So I took off the valve cover and they lifters were about to jump off the cam shaft.

First problem I had with mine actually ... squashed one of the hydraulic lifters ... wasn't so fun. When it was running it sounded like when cars were about to explode in the original Grand Theft Auto game.

$10 part, but damn is it a pain in the sack to get out of there... Actually I take that back. The old crunched one fell right out... It was getting the new one in that sucked.

[pennyman1]

The head bolts are one-use torque to yield type- they will torque up, then lose tension. Also, did you follow the untorqueing sequence? If not the head will warp.